USA: Gesetze, Klagen, Steuervorteil – so streitet Amerika über Trinkgeld

In New York City, the concept of tipping is under scrutiny due to recent legislation and technological advancements. At the Monkey Cup, a café near Central Park, customers are offered a book instead of a tip. The café encourages patrons to read a book, get to know someone, and enjoy handcrafted coffee. However, tipping remains an issue in other establishments.

In the city's restaurants, tipping is often a way for customers to supplement the wages of servers, which are usually paid a lower minimum wage. New York City's minimum wage for tipped workers is $11.35 per hour, but servers are often left with only a third of this amount if tips are insufficient. This has led to a push for legislation to eliminate tipping and guarantee a fair wage for all service workers.

Technology has also played a role in changing tipping habits. In some establishments, tablet devices at the point of sale prompt customers to tip, often with preset percentages ranging from 15 to 74 percent of the bill. Some restaurants have even started suggesting tips of 20 percent, which was once considered the upper limit of generosity.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that while more employees are receiving tips since the pandemic, customers have not become more generous. Most customers give less or nothing when given a choice. Only one in ten customers give more than requested. A survey by Bankrate found that only one in ten customers give more than the suggested amount.

The shift towards automated tipping has led some companies, such as Artly in the Chelsea Market, to discontinue their tipping prompts. Instead, they have increased employee wages by $1.50 per hour to compensate for the loss of tips. However, the company emphasizes that "in every location, there are real people behind the scenes."

Despite the push towards eliminating tipping, most restaurants in New York City still rely on tips to supplement the wages of their employees. A proposed city ordinance aims to eliminate tipping altogether, but it has faced opposition from restaurant owners who argue that tips are an essential part of their business model.